Burberry Creates New Experience At London Heathrow Airport

Hot balloon lovers around the world will not want to miss a new Instagram moment with Burberry at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) – Terminal 2 | The Queen’s Terminal this Spring to mid Summer.

London Heathrow Airport

London Heathrow Airport partnered with Burberry to create a new installation called the Burberry Balloon which included a life-size hot air balloon and a pop-up store to celebrate the achievements of Air Commodore Edward Maitland. With fellow balloonists Auguste Gaudron and Charles Turner, they travelled 1,117 miles (~1,798 kilometers) in a “Mammoth” balloon from the Crystal Palace in London to Meeki Derevi, near Novo Aleksandrovsk, Russia in 1908. This flight established a British long-distance, inflight record and was completed in thirty-six and a half hours. The connection between Maitland and Burberry was the gabardine suiting which protected him from the cold temperature in higher altitude.

Air Commodore Edward Maitland

Chris Annetts, Heathrow’s Retail and Service Director said: “We are delighted to be working with Burberry on this exciting installation. The balloon will truly wow our passengers and immerse them in the magic of flying even before they reach their destination. With personalised postcards and the most exclusive products, the Burberry Balloon will be a memorable experience long after our passengers arrive home.”

Burberry Balloon

The Burberry Ballon is located in the departure lounge of Heathrow Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal after immigration and security. It measures 15 metres (~49 feet) in height and is handmade by famous UK ballon maker Cameron Balloons. The basket was designed by British designer and The New Craftsmen’s Sebastian Cox, using wood-steaming techniques. The installation features interactive Apple iPads and Burberry post boxes. The latter allows passengers to create and print unique Burberry postcards and sent them to family and friends. An animated video of the hot air balloon and its journey from Heathrow to the passenger’s destination can be shared on various social media accounts.

The exhibit will be available from May 4 to August 7, 2017.

Burberry DK88 Collection

The installation also includes a dedicated pop-up store featuring bags from the British luxury brand’s DK88 collection. The name is taken from the house code used for the signature honey-coloured gabardine. The collection includes a top handle, satchel and luggage-inspired styles for men and women, each featuring Burberry’s exclusive new Trench Leather.

Why The Retail Experience Matters?

London Heathrow Airport – Terminal 2 | The Queen’s Terminal opened in June 2014 and costed £2.3 billion. It is the hub for 23 out of 28 Star Alliance airlines as well as Eurowings (EW), Aer Lingus (EI) and Icelandair (FI). The airport offers many retail options for these international passengers. It is one of the few in the world to offer a Personal Shopper program that provides complimentary stylist-trained shopping assistance. Passengers can request an appointment up to 48 hours before travel and be matched with team members that have international knowledge and can offer service in many different languages. Terminal 2 and 5 passengers can also enjoy the personal shopping experience in the comfort of a private lounge.

Shopping Services Source: London Heathrow Airport

The enhanced retail experience at all terminals enabled the airport to make £612 million in 2016 (up 7.7% from 2015). The strong retail revenue growth contributed to a record high ~22% of the airport’s overall yearly revenue. It is an area where Heathrow Airport has significant interests in expanding.

In the near future, the airport will refresh and expand terminal 3 retail options, introduce a food/beverage pre-order application, and track the 600 sq.ft. THE HARRY POTTER™ SHOP for additional insights (the store had >50% more foot traffic than comparable stores in Terminal 5 since its November 2016 introduction).

The additional passenger retail options contributed to the airport’s record high 4.19 score in the Airports Council International’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) index (Q4 2016). This score is the higher amongst leading European airport hubs. The Burberry Balloon brings a combination of unique experience, pop up concept shopping and digital connection with travellers. As of June 1, 2017, the exhibit has generated more than 50,000 likes on Instagram.